Plans for Royal Gorge Bridge & Park renovation still in the works

City Council, RGCC working to agree on plan for Royal Gorge

The Cañon City Council met in executive session Wednesday to discuss the nuts and bolts of the reconstruction of the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park.

They discussed architectural plans as well as building treatments and designs and costs of the reconstruction. A portion of the meeting was spent with Mike Bandera, general manager of the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park and vice-president of the Royal Gorge Company of Colorado.

City Administrator Doug Dotson said the Council recently approved a master plan for Phase 1 of the redevelopment, but anything that veers too far from the plan must be approved by the council.

Bandera will meet with a subcommittee and Dotson today, to look more in-depth at potential plans and some of the proposed costs of the buildings at the park.

"Pending council approval, we are ready to start driving stakes and pouring concrete and starting construction within the next two weeks," Bandera said. "We are standing ready for construction, but everybody has to agree on plans and the look.

"We are hoping by the end of the day (Thursday) we are off and running."

Bandera said he anticipated reopening between mid-May and Memorial Weekend 2014.

The City receives payment based on gross revenue from the bridge and park, Bandera said. The City receives 25 percent of all ticket sales on the front gate, zipline and skycoaster and 10 percent on all food and merchandise. The payment for 2012 was $1.6 million, and the City will receive the same for 2013, although the bridge and park closed in June following the Royal Gorge Fire.

The Royal Gorge Company of Colorado has held a lease since 1947. They signed a 25-year lease in 2000.